Materials: Herbs and medicinal materials, rare minerals, nectar, rare incense materials
Size: Quantity - 48 trays, Duration - 4 hours/tray
Description:
Guanyin Removing Obstacles Incense (Compassion) ~ Developing Unconditional Love
Guanyin, the Chinese name, comes from the Sanskrit word Avalokitesvara, meaning liberation from worldly suffering. She is a bodhisattva renowned for her compassion, embodying compassion, sedition, healing, and guidance. In Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism, she can manifest any form, male or female, to save sentient beings, demonstrating the Dharma through her own actions: unconditional love for self-interest and others. Lighting Guanyin Removing Obstacles Incense in your home, office, or workplace will bring peace and tranquility to the air. Its fragrance, like the fresh air of the Himalayas, brings joy and invigoration.
Avalokitesvara (Sanskrit: Avalokitesvara), also known as Guanshiyin Bodhisattva or Guanzizai Bodhisattva, is a renowned bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism, symbolizing great compassion and great mercy. In Buddhist tradition, Avalokitesvara is regarded as the savior of all beings, specifically hearing the cries of suffering and saving all beings. The following details his role in Buddhist rituals, his historical origins, and the stories and legends surrounding him. These details are primarily drawn from Mahayana Buddhist texts, such as the Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, and are integrated into the evolution of Chinese folk beliefs.
1. The Role of Avalokitesvara in Buddhist Ritual
Avalokitesvara plays a central role as a benevolent protector in Buddhist rituals, symbolizing boundless compassion and universal compassion. He is often considered the primary object of assistance by believers. His role is not limited to static deification but is also integrated into dynamic rituals, helping sentient beings resolve suffering and increase their merit and wisdom. Specifically:
Compassionate Salvation and Blessings:
In both daily and large-scale Buddhist rituals, Avalokitesvara is often enshrined in the center or east of the altar as the primary deity. Devotees chant the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva mantra (such as "Om Mani Padme Hum" or "Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva") to seek blessings and dispel karmic obstacles, including illness, disasters, and the accumulation of negative karma.
For example, during a water and land ceremony (a grand ritual for the salvation of the deceased), Avalokitesvara guides sentient beings out of the cycle of reincarnation, symbolizing the boat of compassion that bridges the water and land realms. Venerables recite the Universal Gate Chapter, emphasizing Avalokitesvara's ability to provide for the deceased, helping them attain rebirth in the Pure Land.
Rescue and Disaster Relief Rituals:
During memorial ceremonies or prayers for the salvation of the deceased, Avalokitesvara is revered as the "Great Compassionate Guanyin," dissolving sentient beings' karmic obstacles through methods such as sprinkling water and chanting mantras. Devotees often hold images of Avalokitesvara, depicting a pure bottle and willow branches, symbolizing the purification of the mind and the extinguishing of the flames of greed, hatred, and delusion.
In memorial ceremonies at home or temples, Avalokitesvara serves as a bridge, connecting the living and the deceased. Prayers invoke his compassionate gaze to liberate the deceased from the sufferings of reincarnation.
Special Festivals and Dharma Rituals:
The three major Guanyin Dharma Rituals peak on the 19th day of the second lunar month (Avalokitesvara's birthday), the 19th day of the sixth lunar month (Enlightenment Day), and the 19th day of the ninth lunar month (Ordination Day). These rituals include bathing the Buddha, chanting sutras, and releasing animals. Guanyin Bodhisattva is revered as the central figure, and believers participate in offering food to monks and worshipping, praying for family harmony, safe offspring, and longevity.
In Zen and Pure Land Buddhist practices, Guanyin Bodhisattva is often placed alongside Amitabha and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, reinforcing the ritual's unity of compassion and wisdom and helping practitioners cultivate compassion.
Overall, Guanyin's role emphasizes proactively hearing and relieving suffering. Unlike other bodhisattvas who focus on quiet contemplation, Guanyin actively intervenes in the suffering of sentient beings, making the ritual more than a formality but a process of spiritual transformation. In modern Buddhism, his role has also extended to environmental prayers and disaster relief ceremonies, embodying universal compassion. II. The Origin of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
The origins of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva can be traced back to Indian Mahayana Buddhism. It was later introduced to China and locally adapted, becoming a core figure in East Asian Buddhism.
Indian Origins:
It first appears in Indian Buddhist texts from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, such as the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Lotus Sutra. Its Sanskrit name, "Avalokitesvara," means "one who observes the sounds of the world," also known as "Guanyin" or "Guanyin," symbolizing the bodhisattva's compassionate listening to the cries of sentient beings and responding to their needs.
In Indian Tantric Buddhism, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva was originally a male figure, closely associated with Amitabha Buddha's Western Pure Land, serving as his left attendant (consort bodhisattva). Its essence derives from the Buddhist bodhisattva path: cultivating the bodhi mind and vowing to save all sentient beings.
Introduction to China and Local Evolution:
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva entered China via the Silk Road in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, as Buddhism spread eastward. The name "Guanyin Bodhisattva" already appears in the earliest translated Buddhist scriptures, such as Kumarajiva's Lotus Sutra (circa 406 AD).
The Tang Dynasty (7th-9th centuries) saw the peak of Guanyin's popularity. Influenced by Taoism and folk beliefs, Guanyin's image gradually became feminine, becoming the gentle and motherly "Guanyin Dashi." This shift likely stemmed from China's veneration of maternal compassion and the increasing number of female believers during the Tang Dynasty (such as Empress Wu Zetian's veneration of Guanyin).
After the Song Dynasty (10th-13th centuries), Guanyin worship took shape, incorporating Confucian and Taoist elements, resulting in various incarnations (such as the Fish Basket Guanyin and the Child-Giving Guanyin), and merging with the White-Robed Great Master (another form of Samantabhadra). During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Guanyin temples spread across the country, becoming a mainstream form of folk worship.
This evolution reflects Buddhism's adaptability: from an abstract, compassionate bodhisattva in India, it evolved into a relatable savior goddess in China, emphasizing worldly benefits rather than pure transcendental liberation. III. Key Stories and Legends about Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Many stories about Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva are drawn from Buddhist scriptures and folklore, emphasizing his great compassionate vows and his 32 manifestations (manifesting different forms to save sentient beings according to their aptitude). The following are several classic stories:
The vow to save suffering upon hearing their cries in the "Universal Door Chapter" (Core Story):
From the Lotus Sutra, "The Universal Door Chapter of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva." The story describes Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, originally a disciple of Amitabha Buddha. Seeing sentient beings sinking in the sea of suffering, he vowed the Four Great Vows: "If I hear the cries of sentient beings, I will save them." However, upon seeing the boundless number of sentient beings, the Bodhisattva's head split into a thousand pieces, transforming into a thousand arms and eyes (symbolizing his all-encompassing compassion). Amitabha Buddha blessed his head with a vajra wheel, restoring it to its original form and earning him the name "Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara."
The sutra details Avalokitesvara's 32 manifestations: for example, he appears as an emperor to persuade tyrants, as an elder to help the poor, and as a monk to preach and guide monks. Whether facing fire, flood, beasts, or ghosts, sentient beings need only chant her name, and Guanyin will appear to save them. This story established Guanyin's role as a savior in rituals and became a core theme of sutra recitation.
The Story of Guanyin with the Fish Basket (a folk legend, symbolizing wisdom and compassion):
According to legend, during the Tang Dynasty, a fisherman named Ma Lang was fishing by the river when he encountered a beautiful woman (a manifestation of Guanyin) holding a fish basket and urging him to release the fish. Ma Lang fell in love with her, and she promised to marry him if they observed ceremonial vows for three years. After enduring trials, Ma Lang ultimately attained Buddhahood, and the woman revealed herself as Guanyin. This story emphasizes Guanyin's skillful salvation and is often used in rituals seeking marriage or wisdom. The image depicts a graceful woman holding a willow-shaped vase and a fish basket.
The Legend of Guanyin, the Goddess of Childbirth, and Cihang Zhenren (a localized story):
In Chinese folklore, Guanyin is regarded as the Goddess of Childbirth. This story originates from the Ming Dynasty novel "Journey to the West" and is fused with Taoism: Guanyin, in the persona of Cihang, resides on Putuo Luojia Mountain in the South China Sea, where she takes a dragon girl as her attendant and specializes in bestowing children on childless families. A woodcutter prays for a child, and Guanyin incarnates and sends a child of good fortune. This legend is incorporated into rituals, such as during ceremonies for fertility, where believers offer statues of the lotus child and pray for Guanyin's mercy.
Other famous stories:
White-robed Guanyin saves the Tang Emperor: Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, prays to Guanyin, who appears to avert a palace disaster, strengthening her role as protector of the nation.
The asceticism of the Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Guanyin: Originating from Esoteric Buddhism, the bodhisattva shatters her body to save sentient beings, symbolizing selfless sacrifice. A thousand-armed statues are often worshipped in large ceremonies.
These stories not only enrich the image of Guanyin but also make Buddhist rituals more narrative and relatable, encouraging believers to respond to suffering with compassion. Conclusion
Avalokitesvara evolved from the Indian bodhisattva path to the Chinese goddess of compassion. In Buddhist ritual, her role is at the heart of compassion, saving all sentient beings. Through repentance, prayer, and salvation, she helps believers transform their karma. These origins and stories are not just religious narratives, but also a cultural heritage with a profound influence to this day. Today, the devotion to Guanyin remains active in temple ceremonies and personal practice, reminding people that compassion is boundless and responds to every call. For deeper insights, consult the Lotus Sutra or visit sacred sites such as Mount Putuo. If you have specific stories or ritual details you would like to explore, please feel free to inquire.
To create authentic incense, we use many rare incense materials, including precious nectar medicine, blessed by Tibetan masters. Precious herbs and medicinal materials, as well as rare minerals, contribute to the high quality of this incense, which we believe will bring profound and incredible help to everyone.
The Four-Armed Avalokitesvara is the manifestation of the great compassion of all Buddhas. He has a deep connection with the Saha world, hearing the cries of suffering and saving them. Many practitioners rely on him as their refuge. Offering precious Tibetan incense will illuminate the deity's boundless compassion, cleansing all karma created by body, speech, and mind. The three mysteries will align with the deity, initiating boundless merit rooted in compassion.
This offering contains countless rare aromatic herbs, precious nectar pills from the Tibetan Tantric tradition, and sacred objects such as the Medicine Kings and relics. The ingredients are 100% natural and have passed the SG5 non-toxic testing, ensuring they pose no risk to human health.
Storage: Keep in a cool, dry place.
Shelf Life: Indefinitely if properly stored.
